VAEIOUS NATIONAL SOCIETIES. 161 



was considered separately and several changes were made in them. The reso- 

 lutions as finally adopted stand as follows : 



The American Forestry Congress, in meeting assembled at Denver, Colorado, in 

 behalf of the forestry interests of the country, resolves : 



1. That the rapid destruction of the timber lands of this country is an evil which 

 will result in incalculable damage to the present and future generations; that the 

 denudation of mountain slopes and hillsides, by fire and ax, without proper regard 

 for renewal, has already begun to injure agricultural interests by disturbing favorable 

 distribution of water supply, intensifying drouths and floods, causing springs to become 

 dry and streams to diminish their flow. 



2. That the importance of maintaining a proper amount of land in forests cannot be 

 over estimated; and it is also apparent that only the government, State or Nation, can 

 have an interest in such maintenance for the benefit of future generations. 



3. That the public lands, at the sources of streams, necessary for the preservation of 

 the water supply, should be granted by the general government to the several States, 

 to be held and kept by such fetates in perpetuity, for the public use, with a view to 

 maintain a full supply of water in all rivers and streams. 



4. That we recommend to the general government the creating of the office of 

 Commissioner of Forestry, which office shall be filled by a man conversant with the 

 interests of practical forestry, whose duty it shall be to see that the laws upon that sub- 

 ject are carried into effect. 



5. That fire is the most destructive enemy of the forest, and that the most stringent 

 regulations should be adopted by tho National and State and Territorial governments 

 to prevent its outbreak and spread in timber lands. 



6. That the general government be recommended to assist the Agricultural Colleges 

 of the various States in the formation of tree planting and culture, and that all work 

 and experiments in that direction should be under the general supervision of the Com- 

 missioner of Forestry, in case such an office should be created; otherwise to be under 

 the supervision of the Commissioner of Agriculture. 



7. That the principles of forestry and practice of tree-planting should be taught in 

 the public schools, normal schools, and agricultural colleges of this country, and that 

 we urgently recommend suitable legislation to that end in the several States and Terri- 

 tories. 



8. That, in our opinion, the Agricultural Colleges of the various States should give 

 special attention to propogation and cultivation of forest trees, and especially to the 

 purpose of determining the most useful and robust varieties of timber for their respec- 

 tive States, and for the various portions thereof, and for the proper dissemination of 

 the knowledge so obtained. 



9. That to encourage the planting and propagation of forest trees, States and counties 

 should provide for and allow an abatement of taxes proportioned to the extent and suc- 

 cess of such planting. 



10. That we most earnestly recommend to the Governors of the various States that 

 they urge upon the Legislatures of their respective States the importance of the preser- 

 vation of the forests where they already exist, and to urge and encourage such legis- 

 lation as will promote the more general planting and cultivating of trees and forests. 



11. That there should be no rigid ruling as to the varieties of timber to be planted or 

 cultivated upon a "timber culture" claim. 



12. That the Commissioner of Agriculture be authorized by Congress to apply in 

 his discretion such sum or sums as he may see fit from the appropriation for the for- 

 estry division of his department for the encourrgement of National and local forestry 

 associations. 



13. That it is the sense of this Forestry Congress that the Legislatures of the States 

 should provide for the establishment and maintenance of experimental timber culture 

 stations to the end that there may be secured a knowledge of the highest adaptability 

 of different varieties of timber to the different soils, and that the taxable wealth of the 

 State may be increased to the material lessening of the rate of taxation. 



The following additional names were recommended by the nominating com- 

 mittee, and were elected on the membership roll: E. S. Nettleton, Denver; 

 F. Steinhauser, Denver, and F. J. Mott, Denver. 



On motion it was decided that the executive committee be made a commit- 

 tee of legislation to draft bills, and present them to the Congress of the United 

 States, embodying the sentiments presented in the resolutions. 



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